In 1995, we were The T-Shirt Guys.
In 2000, we were The Flyer Guys.
In 2005, we were The Web Guys.
But what we’ve really been all along is The Brand Guys!
According to the American Marketing Association, “a brand is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.”
But I think that Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO of Amazon said it best:
“Your Brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
Your brand is a concept, the representation of your business or nonprofit, in the minds of the public, including customers, employees, shareholders and prospects.
But in the real world, your brand has value! If your brand is loved and has a reputation for integrity and innovation, it can make the job of selling your products and services easier. If your brand has a reputation for poor quality, bad service, or being outdated, it can send your business into a death spiral.
As indicated in the diagram above, we make your brand work for you by improving all the areas that encompass it:
STRATEGY – who your ideal clients are and how you intend to reach them
IDENTITY – the logo, colors, sounds and other symbols that trigger recognition
CONTENT – the text, images, audio and video that explain what you do and direct the recipient to action
DESIGN – it doesn’t matter if it’s in print, online, small as a business card or big as a billboard; it all has to be consistent and work together
SYSTEMS – how you respond to requests, manage workflow, increase your production capacity and keep clients coming back.
Is your brand key to your business? Do you need some help standing apart from your competition? We can elevate your brand to its full potential. Contact us to find out how we can help.
It seems these days like everyone is talking about taking things to the “next level.” But what exactly does that mean for your business? It sounds good to say, but the truth is, you can’t get to the Next Level until you define what that is.
Many entrepreneurs will not admit it, but their goals are simple: to maintain their lifestyle – pay the mortgage, but their kids through school, take the occasional vacation. For them, the Next Level is actually something to be feared. In spite of what they say, they secretly want to stay at the Same Level with some slight improvements.
Reaching a New Level requires new thinking. It means finding new customers, taking new advice, using new methods, and collaborating with new people. Setting ambitious goals and having the resources to meet them are key components to impacting your life and the lives of those around you!
Are you ready to figure out what the Next Level is, and how to get there? Contact us for a FREE needs assessment. We will help you take the first steps towards a business transformation!
It happens just about every day – some public figure gets caught on video doing something at best, compromising – at worst, criminal.
Each time, the person acts shocked and amazed, tries to deny the truth, and is more upset about being exposed than they are about their own heinous behavior.
Well, I’ve worked in technology my entire adult life, and the fact is that data collection and surveillance has been going on for decades. The differences now are that we know about it, and we can process it even more quickly. Where it used to take weeks or months of wading through paper or tape to investigate things, it can now be done at the touch of a button.
For those who still don’t get it, here are some tips for living in the 21st Century:
- If you are in a public place, an office building, or a retail location, ASSUME you are on video!
- Email, texts and voicemail messages have NEVER been secure. If you are at work or using work-related equipment, your employer has the RIGHT to read them at any time!
- Cover-ups and mismanagement can be detected in a matter of DAYS now, not years.
- You leave DNA evidence on EVERYTHING.
- Tweets, Facebook posts and other social media platforms are NOT private communication between you and your friends!
- In fact, several times a day, you leave a trail of personal data with big corporations concerning everything you buy, eat and consume.
Whatever your opinion, the technology that enables us to collect information is only going to get better. And it’s ok. Sometimes it exposes things that need to be exposed.
As a business owner, are you taking full advantage of this New Transparency to build trust relationships with your team and your customers? Creating full integrity in your operations requires a mindset change, but it can also be a huge competitive advantage! Contact us to schedule a strategy session that will get you moving in the right direction!
Souvenir journal from the Bloomingdale Civic Association’s Biennial House Tour and Art Show (October 2013)
Fall is here, which means that it’s time for those trade shows and conferences that we love so much!
If you’re an event planner, or just happen to find yourself being responsible for putting together one of these meetings, you know how involved and expensive they can be.
One of the best ways you can defray the cost of a conference is with a souvenir journal. This program book not only includes important information about the event’s activities, locations and panelists, the ads it contains can be a revenue source that, in some cases, can equal or exceed the revenue from registrations!
We’ve created dozens of these types of books over the years, some with hundreds of pages. Here are 5 simple ways you can maximize your return on the souvenir book for your conference:
- Have an easy-to-follow Guide Sheet that explains the sizes of the ads, the price per size, what file types will be accepted and when the ads are due.
- Make sure your due date gives the designer adequate time for layout and multiple reviews before submission to the printer.
- Request letters from dignitaries (organization leaders, politicians, etc.) at least six weeks in advance, with frequent follow-up as due dates draw closer.
- NO MONEY, NO AD…enforce it! And keep a spreadsheet that shows the sponsor, ad size, who paid and when. Pass this list on to the designer so you are both reading from the same document.
- PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD, PROOFREAD …the designer may not know how to spell people’s names or important locations. If you approve the proof, you’re responsible!
No matter what stage of the process you’re in, you can always use a little help. Contact us to ensure that your ad book is a well-designed, profitable keepsake that you can use to stay foremost in the minds of sponsors and attendees for years to come!
Do you feel like you’re constantly fighting fires, bouncing from one crisis to the next?
Chances are, in between emergencies, you’re avoiding issues until they explode!
Avoidance happens because you either feel too overwhelmed to deal with something, or you minimize the problem. Sometimes there are perfectly rational reasons for this, like a lack of time or resources. But denying an issue exists doesn’t make it go away.
If something happens once, it’s an event, but if it happens over and over again, it’s a system… and you have the power to replace a broken system with a beneficial system!
Here’s how to begin:
- Own the Problem – admit there is one and your part in resolving it
- Get Some Help – seek knowledge sources (people, books, web sites, etc.)
- Follow Through – take the advice you receive and put it to proper and consistent use
What business problems are you ignoring right now that could derail your business in the future?
Do you know what you don’t know?
Contact us for a free consultation to discover ways to break you out of the cycle!
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